Tube-coupling



(No Model.)

H. E. BOYD.

TUBE COUPLING. No. 283,960. Patented Aug. 28, 1883..

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STATES FFIQEQ PATENT TUBE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 283,960, dated August28, 188 3. Application filed February 26, 1883. (No model.)

' ing to provide an efficient coupling or joint for the lightwrought-metal tubing, which is too thin to receive the ordinaryscrew-thread usually employed in connection with a threadedcoupling-socket for uniting wrought metal tubing. I-Ieretofore differentdevices have been employed for coupling this light wroughtmetal tubing,the couplings being in most cases necessarily formed of cast-iron. Insome of these joints a cast iron bell was shrunken around the end of onetube-section, and the end of this tubesection expanded to receive theend of theother tube-secti 011 inserted within the bell, the calkingmaterial fitting around the tubing within the bell.

My invention relates to a wroughtmetal coupling device for connectingthis light metal tubing, its object being to reduce the weight of themetal coupling, and consequently reduce the cost of shipment, and toform an era cient and secure coupling device which occupies less spacethan the ordinary cast-metal device, and consequently enables me to usethis light metal tubing in places where, on account of the size of thecoupling device,it could not heretofore be employed.

It consists, essentially, in combining with the wrought metalawrought-metal couplingbell welded around one end of the tubing, andhaving a belled portion to receive and form acalking-space around theend of another tubesection inserted therein.

It also consists in securing this wroughtmetal bell around one end ofthe tube-section, so that the end of the tube extends out a shortdistance into the bell, and expanding the end of the tube-section to becoupled therein, so that it fits over the portion of the tube-sectionextending into the bell, and is thus centered within the bell, and isheld therein by means of calking material confined between the expandedportion of the tubing and the mouth of the bell.

It also consists in contracting the mouth of the bell secured to thetubing, thus closing it in slightly and forming an enlarged space beloWthe mouth of the bell for the reception of the calking material, so thatthe tubing connected within the bell is held therein by the calkingmaterial confined between the expanded portion of the tubing and thecontracted mouth of the bell.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willdescribe the same more fully, referring for that purpose to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my tubecoupling. Fig. 2 is a likeview of the bell before it is welded on the tubing, and Fig. 3 is a likeview of the end of the tubing having the bell welded thereon.

In the drawings, a represents the end of one tube-section and b the endof the other tubesection, the tubing being what is termed light metaltubing, and being formed of wrought metal, the body of which, when notcut into screw-thread or like device, is sufficiently thick to standheax y pressure strains, but whicluyvhen cut into in this n1anncr,is soweakenedat the joint or coupling as to render it unfit for use underheavy pressures. The end of one tube-section, b, is expanded slightly bysuitable tools or machinery, so that it fits around the end of thetube-section a, the portion thus expanded forming a sleeve-f0, and

.being made to fit the end of the tube-section a neatly and extend ashort distance over the same.

(1 represents the wrougl1t1netal bell, which is either formed of a pieceof tubing of larger size "than the tubing to be connected, or is weldedfrom plate metal in the usual manner of forming coupling-sockets. Thebody 6 of the bell is formed of proper diameter to fit around the bodyof the tube-section a, and the enlarged portion f is of such diameter asto form a space around the expanded end 0 of the tubesection b whenentered within the bell, this space being for the reception Of'IEild orother suitable calking material by which the joint is sealed. The mouth9 of the bell is contracted, so as to form an enlarged ealking-spacebelow it, it being only necessary that the mouth be large enough topermit the entrance of the expanded end of the tube-section 2) withinit. When the coupling-bell d is formed of a short piece of tubing, apiece corresponding in diameter to the enlarged or belled portion f isheated and contracted by suitable tools to form the body 6 of properdiameter to fit around and be secured to the tube-section a. It may alsobe formed of a short piece of tubing corresponding in diameter to thebody 6, and the enlarged portion f expanded at the end thereof but theformer method is preferred, as the ex panding of 1 the tubing is liableto weaken it, while the contracting of the tubing strengthens it. Thisbell and the end of thetube-section a are then brought to a weldingheat, and the part c of the bell is welded to the tubing a shortdistance back from the end thereof, so that the end h of the tubingextends out a short distance into the bell, the tubing being supportedon a suitable mandrel during the weld ing operation. While thecoupling-bell is still 'hot, it is then put under a hammer, furnishedwith suitable dies, and the end is closed in slightly, so as to form thecontracted mouth 9 of the bell. If desired, however, the couplingbellmay be first formed with this contracted mouth, and afterward welded tothe tubing.

It may also be secured to the tubing by shrinking, the portion 6 of thebell being made so that its inner diameter is slightly smaller than theouter diameter of the tubing, and the bell is then heated so as toexpand it sufficiently to pass over the end of the tubing, and upon thecooling of the coupling-bell it will shrink .tightly around the tubingand hold thereto;

and, tomake more secure, the end of the portion 0 may be calked withsuitable tools around the tubing. I prefer, however, to weld the bell tothe tube-section, as it is more firmly secured thereto, the shrinking ofthe bell on the tubing, as illustrated in the cast-metal bells abovereferred to, not making a pressure-proof joint between them, butrequiring the ealking of the joint to prevent leakage.

When a coupling is to be formed, the tubesection b is inserted withinthe belled portion f of the coupling-bell (1, its expanded end fittingaround the end h of the tubesection a, extending into the bell. f. Themelted lead or I other ealking material is then poured into theealking-space between the tube-sections and the belled portion f of thecoupling-bell d, and is calked or packed in the usual manner. ealkingmaterial enters around the end h of the tube-section a, beyond the endof the expanded end a of the tube-section b, and around the expanded end0 and the tube section (1 below this expanded end, and thus forms asecure joint. The tube-section b is held within the belled portion f ofthe coupling-bell by means of the ealking material confined between theex panded end 0 and the contracted mouth 9 of the coupling-bell, and isthus held against lon gitudinal or, drawing strain. The end of thetube-section a is not weakened in any way whatever, and the expanded endof the tubesection b is protected and strengthened by the ealkingmaterial within the belled portion f of the coupling-bell, so that evenif weakened by being thus expanded "it is fully protected by the ealkingmaterial.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of the wroughtmetal coupling-bell (I, having theealking-bell f, pro- The vided with the contractedmouth g, thetubesection a, secured within the coupling-bell,

having its end h extending within the ealkingbell f, and thetube-section I), having the expanded end 0, adapted to fit around theend h of the tube-section a, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

In testimony whereof, I, the said HENRY BOYD, have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY E. BOYD.

Vitnesses': I

J. A. WERTENBACH, H. A. McCLURn.

IOO

